Raspberry Pie with Streusel Topping

Have you ever had a raspberry pie? If you haven’t, you’re not alone — I hadn’t until recently (and I worked in a pie shop for over four years!). This raspberry pie with streusel topping might just be one of my favorite fruit pies yet. Every forkful delivers a balanced bite of juicy, sweet-tart berry filling, crumbly streusel, and flaky crust. It’s delightful with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. And, if you’re a fan of pie for breakfast like me, it’s great with a steaming hot mug of coffee or tea. 

This recipe starts with taking care of the pie crust, which can be homemade or store-bought. You just roll out the dough, press it into a pie pan, and crimp the edges. While the crust firms up in the fridge, throw together the streusel: Combine all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a bowl, and scatter softened unsalted butter over the top. Work the ingredients together with your fingers until the streusel feels like damp sand, then let chill.

Meanwhile, fold together fresh or frozen raspberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, kosher salt, freshly squeezed orange juice, and vanilla extract until well combined. I like adding orange juice because it complements raspberry’s citrusy flavor while taming its tartness. Scrape the filling into the pie crust, spread the streusel evenly over the filling, and bake until golden brown.

Yes! If you use frozen raspberries, there’s no need to thaw; just add them to the filling straight from the freezer. 

I tested this pie with three different thickeners: all-purpose flour, tapioca starch, and cornstarch. The pie thickened with flour had a slightly pasty texture and duller-looking filling. Meanwhile, the pies thickened with tapioca starch and cornstarch had a bright, glossy filling. Plus, they served up neat slices that didn’t ooze fruit everywhere. In the end, I call for cornstarch since it is a common pantry staple, whereas tapioca starch isn’t as readily available in grocery stores (but can be easily purchased online). (If you have tapioca starch, you can use an equal amount of it in place of the cornstarch.)

• Use fresh or frozen raspberries. This pie works well with fresh or frozen raspberries, so feel free to use ripe fresh raspberries, frozen berries, or even a mix of the two.
• Customize your streusel topping. The streusel for this pie is extremely adaptable — you can use all brown sugar, add a pinch of ground cinnamon, throw in a handful of sliced almonds, or sub in some whole wheat flour for up to half of the all-purpose flour. 
• Cool the pie for at least three hours. You’ll want to let the pie cool at room temperature for at least three hours before slicing, otherwise the filling will be loose.